Still Unsolved: Mystery Writer Josephine Tey, AKA Playwright Gordon Daviot, AKA . . .

Pity the poor 21st-century writer who became a Josephine Tey fan in her/his formative years. Vanity Fair contributor Francis Wheen explains why in this excellent story from September 2015: Decades After Her Death, Mystery Still Surrounds Crime Novelist Josephine Tey Unlike Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Ngaio Marsh, Josephine …

Who Killed Pronoun? Mysterious Death of a Promising E-Publisher

The dashboard announcement is startling and terse. The explanation is corporate-ambiguous: Two years ago Pronoun set out to create a one-of-a-kind publishing tool that truly put authors first. We believed that the power of data could be harnessed for smarter book publishing, leveling the playing field for indie authors. That’s …

Why Quit Reading?

Lately the pile on my bedside table is so tall it’s toppling, and even my tablet can’t remember what e-book I was halfway through. As the SF Public Library’s annual Fall Big Book Sale looms, it’s time to winnow . . . and wonder what tips the scale from “keep …

Taking Alcatraz, Part 1

The Summer of Love and Monterey Pop aren’t the only anniversaries San Francisco is celebrating. Last night a standing-room-only crowd at the California Historical Society had the rare treat of watching John and Grace De Soto Ferry’s 2015 film Taking Alcatraz, followed by some riveting personal recollections from the filmmakers …

Coming in May: ANOTHER NUMBER FOR THE ROAD a Cory Goodwin Mystery

Remember the Summer of Love? What cooler way to celebrate 50 years since the Human Be-In, peace love & flowers, and Monterey Pop than with the new Cory Goodwin mystery? When legendary guitarist Dan Quasi reunites Boston’s top 60s rock-protest band for an upscale exchange program, Cory wants to know …